Head of Underwriting Governance

What part will you play? If you’re looking for a place where you can make a meaningful difference, you’ve found it.

The work we do at Markel gives people the confidence to move forward and seize opportunities, and you’ll find your fit amongst our global community of optimists and problem-solvers. We’re always pushing each other to go further because we believe that when we realize our potential, we can help others reach theirs. Join us and play your part in something special! The Head of Underwriting Governance is responsible for establishing and maintaining robust underwriting governance frameworks, policies, and controls across the organization. This role ensures underwriting practices are aligned with regulatory requirements, internal risk appetite and strategic business objectives across the US and Bermuda for all lines of business. The role will lead initiatives to enhance underwriting discipline, consistency, and accountability, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and compliance. This role also supports underwriting training and development role across Programs and Solutions and Wholesale & Specialty.

Job Description: Head of Underwriting Governance

Position Summary

The Head of Underwriting Governance is responsible for establishing and maintaining robust underwriting governance frameworks, policies, and controls across the organization. This role ensures underwriting practices are aligned with regulatory requirements, internal risk appetite and strategic business objectives across the US and Bermuda for all lines of business. The role will lead initiatives to enhance underwriting discipline, consistency, and accountability, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and compliance. This role also supports underwriting training and development role across Programs and Solutions and Wholesale & Specialty.

Key Responsibilities

Governance & Frameworks:

• Develop and implement underwriting governance frameworks, policies, and procedures across all lines of business including:
• Delegated standards, approval and audit processes – including development of workflow tools to automate approval processes.
• Manage the outputs of peer reviews and the annual audit assessments to determine actions required.
• Assist the CUO, US & Bermuda, in developing technical underwriting guidelines, referral standards and other underwriting guidelines.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory standards, industry best practices, and internal risk appetite across all lines of business.
• Oversee underwriting authority limits and escalation protocols across all lines of business.
• Manage the process for the granting, updating, and monitoring of underwriting authorities, coordinating with the CUO, US Wholesale & Specialty, and the Presidents within Programs & Solutions.
• Collaborate with CUO, US & Bermuda, on projects and ongoing initiatives that impact Markel Insurance across US/Bermuda and implement changes or lead projects as applicable.
• Work with the CUO, US Wholesale & Specialty, and Presidents within Programs & Solutions to develop quarterly commentary used by Senior Leadership for the earnings call for all lines of business.
• Manage Markel Insurance US/Bermuda compliance with local requirements in the US, London, Dublin & Bermuda.
• Maintain a central repository of CUO, US & Bermuda, underwriting guidelines to ensure consistency across the Insurance platform.

Risk And Compliance:

• Collaborate with Risk, Compliance, and Legal teams to ensure underwriting practices meet regulatory and internal standards across all lines of business.
• Collaborate with Product & Regulatory Services (PRS) to ensure compliance with  rate, form, and feature development to ensure adherence to state-specific and national regulatory requirements across all lines of business.
• Partner with Legal and Compliance teams to address emerging regulatory issues and audit findings across all lines of business.
• Monitor underwriting risk exposures and report on emerging risks and trends.
• Lead internal audits and reviews of underwriting practices and controls.
• International and cross border responsibilities: responsible for compliance, reporting, business planning.
• Liaise with internal stakeholders including Underwriting, Risk, Compliance, and Actuarial teams.
• Represent the company in industry forums and regulatory discussions related to underwriting governance.
• Serves as the primary point of contact with Markel International non-underwriting departments including Claims, Finance, Aggregate Management, Actuarial, Compliance, Credit Control, Risk Management, Data Quality, with regard to GIE operations.

Leadership & Strategy:

• Provide strategic direction and leadership to underwriting governance teams.
• Act as a key advisor to senior leadership on underwriting governance matters.
• Drive initiatives to improve underwriting quality, consistency, and operational efficiency

Training & Development:

• Responsible for managing the Training and Development Associate Director and partnering with Wholesale & Specialty and Programs &  Solutions on underwriting training and development programs including: Markel Masters, Markel Accelerate, the Markel Underwriter.
• Continue to develop new training programs for Wholesale & Specialty and Programs & Solutions as needed.
• Partner with other departments on delivering training across the underwriting organizations.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 10+ years of underwriting experience, with a strong technical and governance background.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or professional certifications preferred.
• Strong analytical, strategic, and communication skills.
• Experience with expense management and performance metrics. 

Us Work Authorization

US Work Authorization required. Markel does not provide visa sponsorship for this position, now or in the future.

Pay Information:

The base salary offered for the successful candidate will be based on compensable factors such as job-relevant education, job-relevant experience, training, licensure, demonstrated competencies, geographic location, and other factors. The salary for the position is $158,720 - $218,240 with a 55% bonus potential. 

Who We Are:

Markel Group (NYSE – MKL) a fortune 500 company with over 60 offices in 20+ countries, is a holding company for insurance, reinsurance, specialist advisory and investment operations around the world. 

We’re all about people | We win together | We strive for better 

We enjoy the everyday | We think further 

What’S In It For You:

In keeping with the values of the Markel Style, we strive to support our employees in living their lives to the fullest at home and at work.  

• We offer competitive benefit programs that help meet our diverse and changing environment as well as support our employees’ needs at all stages of life.  
• All full-time employees have the option to select from multiple health, dental and vision insurance plan options and optional life, disability, and AD&D insurance.  
• We also offer a 401(k) with employer match contributions, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, PTO, corporate holidays and floating holidays, parental leave.   

Are you ready to play your part? 

Choose ‘Apply Now’ to fill out our short application, so that we can find out more about you. 

Caution: Employment scams 

Markel is aware of employment-related scams where scammers will impersonate recruiters by sending fake job offers to those actively seeking employment in order to steal personal information. Frequently, the scammer will reach out to individuals who have posted their resume online. These "job offers" include convincing offer letters and frequently ask for confidential personal information. Therefore, for your safety, please note that: 

• All legitimate job postings with Markel will be posted on Markel Careers. No other URL should be trusted for job postings.
• All legitimate communications with Markel recruiters will come from Markel.com email addresses. 

We would also ask that you please report any job employment scams related to Markel to rarecruiting@markel.com. 

Markel is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of any protected characteristic. This includes race; color; sex; religion; creed; national origin or place of birth; ancestry; age; disability; affectional or sexual orientation; gender expression or identity; genetic information, sickle cell trait, or atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait; refusal to submit to genetic tests or make genetic test results available; medical condition; citizenship status; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, familial status, or family responsibilities; military or veteran status, including unfavorable discharge from military service; personal appearance, height, or weight; matriculation or political affiliation; expunged juvenile records; arrest and court records where prohibited by applicable law; status as a victim of domestic or sexual violence; public assistance status; order of protection status; status as a smoker or nonsmoker; membership or activity in local commissions; the use or nonuse of lawful products off employer premises during non-work hours; declining to attend meetings or participate in communications about religious or political matters; or any other classification protected by applicable law.  

Should you require any accommodation through the application process, please send an e-mail to the rarecruiting@markel.com.    

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